P is for paddling

Paddling has been the heart of Quietwater Films. It still is. Facing forward so you can see where you are going. Not where you have been. That's rowing. It also makes my neck hurt. Very european as well.

As with most things, paddling can be easy to learn, but harder to master. Most people get 80% of the sport in the first day. That final 20%, like so many other things is more subtle and, if you do not do it frequently, may be something you truly never master. that's OK though, even with 80%, you'll still have a great time on the water and that is what it's all about. Simple pleasure derived from a simple movement. Clarity. Peace of mind. All good.

C is for canoeing

It's a simple little thing. Not a necessity anymore. A pleasure. A lifestyle thing. Some like roller derby. Others like chess. I like paddling. What are the odds that there is someone out there that likes chess, roller derby, and canoeing? Probably half way decent. Maybe even right here in Madison.

But that's not point, the point is leisure pursuits. On the water. With a paddle. Boats help too. Just a bit. The other word to bring in here is "silent sport".

Quietwater has its name for a purposeful reason and it has nothing to do with jetskis or waterskiing or some pink-haired kayaker hucking him or her self over a 70 waterfall. Quietwater has everything to do with quietly slipping a canoe in the water, giving that one last push and sitting down in a seat and looking out over a lake smooth as glass.

So go find yourself a canoe. Find a morning on a quiet lake and feel the magic that comes over you when the loudest sound is water dripping off the edge of your paddle and a loon off in the distance.